PROVO — The newly called Relief Society General Presidency addressed women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the first time Friday, asking them to look for ways to continue to serve as part of a worldwide relief agency.

"President (Gordon B.) Hinckley has a vision and a charge for the women of the church," said Relief Society General President Julie Beck. "He expects that we'll each do our part to accomplish that charge. I commit with you to work my hardest to provide that relief in all the world."

Sister Beck is in the British Isles and addressed women gathered in England. She spoke via video screen to the thousands filling the Marriott Center at Brigham Young University for the second day of BYU's Women's Conference.

"Pray to know what each of you can personally do as part of this relief effort and the personalized ideas will come to you," she said.

Sister Beck also introduced her two counselors, Sister Silvia Allred, first counselor, and Sister Barbara Thompson, second counselor, who were present in the Marriott Center.

Allred was born in El Salvador but has lived in Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Paraguay. She and her husband were just released as mission presidents from the Dominican Republic Missionary Training Center.

That experience framed Allred's remarks, in which she compared the homes of LDS women to missionary training centers, where children learn to pray, study, cook, show courtesy and other needed qualities.

"I am grateful for all the small things that noble women of the church are doing to prepare the next generation of missionaries," she said. "My plea to you is to keep doing it. Don't give up. You are laying the foundation of a great work, and the Lord is on your side. He will bless you, and your children will thank you for it."

She closed her comments in Spanish for the Spanish-speaking audience.

Sister Beck introduced Sister Thompson as a friend she met when she was a 12-year-old Beehive in the Young Women's program in Granger. She said Sister Thompson, a few years older, took her under her wing and helped her feel loved and accepted.

Sister Thompson's comments were punctuated by laughter and even applause, as she shared her trepidation surrounding the new calling. She said her bishop called her more than a month ago and told her she needed to immediately call President James E. Faust, of the LDS Church's First Presidency.

"I knew I hadn't done anything bad enough to get excommunicated by a member of the First Presidency," she said. "Maybe he was calling to ask me to be on the Days of '47 parade committee. But somehow I knew that that wasn't it, either. It finally struck me that it was Relief Society."

She recalled crying all the way home after the interview with President Faust, thinking of her inadequacies and shortcomings.

"I also knew that I didn't have anything to wear," she said. "And there was no way I could lose 100 pounds in one week."

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